Sweet protein brazzein shows promise in reducing blood sugar spikes: Study

A new study has shown how the sweet protein brazzein could help reduce blood sugar spikes, the Science Alert news outlet reported.

Brazzein is a natural protein originally found in the West African oubli plant, but now largely produced through a fermentation process. It is known for its intense sweetness and has long been eyed as a potential sugar alternative.

Researchers at Russia’s Federal Research Centre of Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety conducted a test on 101 adults living with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). The condition, where fat builds up in the liver, is often associated with diabetes and obesity.

The study, published in the Clinical Nutrition ESPEN journal, was a randomised trial that focused on ice cream.

Participants ate a 100 gram vanilla ice cream serving on three separate days: one with sugar, one with brazzein, and one day with brazzein and a fibre called inulin.

Post-meal blood sugar spikes were lower when participants consumed the brazzein or brazzein and inulin versions, compared with the sugar-sweetened version, the study showed.

The reductions in sugar spikes were most notable in participants with type 2 diabetes, according to the study.

“Longer-term studies are needed to determine whether repeated substitution of sucrose-containing desserts with brazzein-sweetened alternatives translates into sustained metabolic, hepatic, microbiome, or behavioural benefits,” the researchers wrote.

The negative health effects of sugar have been widely researched and debated over the years.

The World Health Organization advised in 2023 against the use of non-sugar sweeteners for weight control, and released guidelines warning of “potential undesirable effects” from their long-term use, such as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.